English Version
Uchidainjin Bridge, located in Yamato Town in Kumamoto Prefecture, has long been surrounded by unsettling rumors.
According to local stories, the spirits of people who died by suicide or in fatal accidents are said to appear around the bridge. Some accounts describe them as if they are trying to lure the living over the edge and drag them down beneath the bridge.
The area has reportedly been known for repeated jumping suicides and accidental falls over the years. At the entrance to the bridge, there is a memorial monument and a small Jizo statue placed for the repose of the dead.
In the past, the bridge’s fence was said to be low enough that it could be climbed over easily, which may have contributed to the number of suicides and accidents. Around the year 2000, new fall-prevention fencing was installed to improve safety.
The color of the fence was also changed from red to a pale blue. This is said to have been done with suicide prevention in mind, based on the psychological effect of the color.
Location: 2388 Memaru, Yamato Town, Kamimashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture
If you visit, treat the site respectfully, stay behind all barriers, and do not attempt to climb fences or approach dangerous edges.
Some details in this article have been updated for clarity and organization.
Japanese Language
自殺者の霊や事故死した亡霊が出没し生きている者を橋の下へ引きずり落とそうと誘っているように思われるらしい。昔から飛び降り自殺、転落事故が後を絶たない場所と言われている。橋の入口には慰霊碑と供養のためのお地蔵様が設置されている。かつては柵が低く簡単に乗り越えられたため自殺や事故が多発したと思われる。2000年近くになって事故防止のために転落防止柵が新たに設置された。柵の色は赤色から淡い青色に塗り替えられたが、これは心理学的に自殺抑止を目的としたものとのこと。
熊本県上益城郡山都町目丸２３８８ ※この記事は情報整理のため一部内容を更新しました
